07/18, 9:50pm

Scosche Realm line boosted with four new models

Scosche has released the latest in the Realm line of on-ear, reference-grade headphones. The new models are all powered by 40mm drivers, and feature copper voice coils and rare-earth neodymium magnets. Ear cushioning is provided by viscoelastic memory foam that softens in response to body heat, and conforms to the listener's ear shape. Two models, the RH656md and RH656m on-ear headphones, boast Scosche's Siri-compatible tapLINE III control and microphone, which allows users to play, pause, adjust volume, activate voice control, and perform hands-free calling. The RH656md in black and RH656m in white retail for $130. The models without the microphone, the RH600bk (black) and RH600w (white) run $100.

06/13, 10:35am

High-end earbuds use dual 8mm neodymium drivers

Etymotic has announced its latest noise-isolating headset, the mc2. The earphones are compatible with BlackBerry, Android, Windows Mobile and iOS devices that use a 3.5 mm/ 4-conductor stereo phone plug. The mc2 features the same chamber design for improved dynamics as its iOS-only mc3 headset,
moving-coil, high-output 8mm neodymium magnet drivers, an omnidirectional microphone, and a Kevlar-reinforced cable. The headset is capable of up to 42dB noise reduction, which the company claims is the highest of any headphone on the market.

11/22, 11:30am

Etymotic adds custom-tuned MicroPro earbuds

Personal high-end audio gear maker Etymotic Research has added a new range-topping MicroPro Series set of earbuds in the ER•4PT. Made for audiophiles and sound engineers, each set of the new headphones comes with a channel-matching compliance graph signed off on by an Etymotic engineer who personally tuned the balanced-armature drivers. The adjustment is paired with what the company claims is the highest noise isolation of all its earphones.

06/22, 5:45pm

Etymotic ships hi-fi earbuds, headsets

Etymotic on Tuesday began shipping a number of headsets introduced at CES. This includes the hf3 headset for the iPod, iPhone and iPad, the etyBLU2 Bluetooth and Etymotic's entry-level MC-5 earphones and MC-3 headset. At the same time, the company made its Custom-Fit Earmold Program available for all of its headphones and headsets, letting users get special eartips modeled just to their exact designs.

01/05, 12:30am

Etymotic headsets lower cost, up quality

Etymotic at CES has upgraded its key iPhone and iPod earphones as well as its main Bluetooth headset. The hf3 replaces the hf2 and brings in a built-in three-button remote that gives full control over all remote-supporting iPhones and iPods. Both it as well as the new mc3 and mc5 sets use a unique approach that depends on low cost moving coil drivers but adds response shaping to boost the historically weak highs from these sources without diminishing bass.

04/24, 1:45pm

Etymotic teams with ACS

Maker of high-end headphones, Etymotic, has recently announced that it has partnered with the UK's Advanced Communications Solutions (ACS) to offer its hf2 headphones with silicon earbuds that are custom-molded to fit the contours of a wearer's ear. This process, performed by ACS, involves pouring a fast-setting compound into a user's ear and then using the mould to produce the earbud. This results in near-perfect isolation from ambient sounds, letting users listen to music at lower volumes and without the conflict of outside sounds. A bonus is a better fit that will keep the earbud in place for longer.

11/06, 10:05am

Etymotic hf5

Etymotic today called out the official launch of the hf5, its fifth-generation of pure listening devices and the effective successor to its well-known ER-6i buds. The new models have a newer, metallic body style Etymotic claims is more comfortable. Audio fidelity has also purportedly been improved. Although the frequency range has dropped slightly to 20Hz - 15kHz, noise isolation has been improved to block outside sounds as loud as 42dB and to muffle louder noises. This in turn lets users play music at more reasonable volume levels.

08/14, 8:55am

Logitech and Ultimate Ears

Logitech this morning said it has acquired Ultimate Ears. The $34 million deal gives Logitech its first true entry point into in-canal earphones and includes a lineup of devices geared both towards regular portable media players as well as audiophiles and professional concert or studio monitors. The move is more specifically intended by Logitech to support its iPhone and iPod lineups, which so far consist only of speaker docks.

01/14, 1:40pm

Etymotic phone headsets

Timing the launch with this week's Macworld Expo in San Francisco, Etymotic has released two new cellular headsets, the hf2 and the etyBLU. The hf2 is based on the company's ER-4P audiophile earbuds (pictured), but is intended specifically for iPhones; this means the inclusion of a microphone, as well as an end/send switch which doubles as a track skip button. The primary feature of the headset though is noise isolation, which may cut out as much as 42dB of external sound. It can be used with standard 3.5mm audio outputs when not attached to an iPhone. The hf2 set is selling now for $179.